The scope of Delhi-NCR can be reduced in the coming years. Presently, the National Capital Region has spread over 150-175 km. It covers many districts and rural areas of UP and Haryana. However, according to the NCR Draft Regional Plan 2041, it can be reduced to 100 km.
Linear corridors, expressways, national highways, regional rapid transit systems, and high-speed rail networks are planned to be set up in this 100-km stretch. However, the decision to include or exclude the tehsils will be taken by the respective state governments only. Therefore, a detailed draft plan for suggestions and objections will be made public. At the same time, it will be notified by the NCR Planning Board as well.
The NCR Planning Board has approved the Draft Regional Plan-2041 for better connectivity between cities. The plan incorporates high-speed connectivity through an air ambulance, helitaxi, road, rail, and waterways in a futuristic, slum-free National Capital Region.
The draft plan lays emphasis on taking special measures to travel between major cities of NCR. The time limit would be 30 minutes through high-speed rail to reach Delhi from the nearest borders of NCR through a mass transit rail system. According to the news agency PTI, this draft plan was approved in the meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) held on Tuesday.
The meeting was presided over by the Union Minister for Urban Affairs and Housing Hardeep Singh Puri. The board has made some changes in this draft to be kept for public opinion. After making necessary changes according to the opinion of the people under the prescribed process. Hence, the final form of the draft plan should be approved by the board by March 2022.
In this meeting, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal and Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain participated. Along with them, Rajasthan Urban Development Minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal was also there. At the same time, UP Khadi, Village Industries, and MSME Minister Siddharth Nath Singh, and many senior officials also participated.
The motto of Regional Plan-2041 is to transform the cities of NCR into smart connectivity areas. It would be done through bullet trains, Heli taxi service, and smart roads. To make the region economically prosperous and the entire infrastructure citizen-centric. At the same time, transportation by air, road, rail, and water will also be upgraded in the entire NCR.
According to this plan available on the website of NCRPB, it is proposed to set up seven metro centers and 11 regional centers. The plan for the year 2041anticipates NCR with an air ambulance facility. And high-speed connectivity through helitaxis, road, rail, and inland waterways.
It has been said in the draft that it is important to reduce the travel time across the NCR. Within 30 minutes high-speed bullet train or helitaxi will travel from one city to another. And within 60 minutes by other trains and by car within three hours. Delhi should be just 30 minutes away from the major cities of NCR by superfast train.
The draft also plans to promote electric transport infrastructure. Apart from this, improving water and air quality, environment protection, urban reconstruction, easy living, slum-free zone, 24-hour air ambulance, clean and smart NCR, etc. are some of the other big steps which have been emphasized in this plan.
NCRPB covers the entire Delhi, eight districts of Uttar Pradesh, 14 districts of Haryana, and two districts of Rajasthan. Overall, the board covers an area of 55,083 square kilometers. The board plans to connect this entire area with helitaxi so that tourism can be promoted.
Apart from this, in addition to the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, two more expressways have been planned in the new draft. The NCR plan estimates that the population of NCR may reach 7 crores by 2031 and 11 crores by 2041.
